Sour Cream Pound Cake

My Uncle Gary and I swap recipes all the time.  He is one of the best bakers I know and this recipe of his is world famous.  Why?  Because it is also my soldier son’s favorite cake recipe and was sent to him during 2 deployments to Afghanistan.  It also makes a great Christmas gift.  You can divide it among loaf pans or make one big one, wrap it in cellophane and make a statement.

 Uncle Gary’s Sour Cream Pound Cake

3 cups sugar

1 cup butter – softened

6 eggs at room temperature – separated

1 ½ cups sour cream

1 ½ tsps. vanilla extract (I use Mexican vanilla extract)

½ tsp almond extract

3 cups flour

½ tsp. soda

½ tsp. salt

Pre-heat oven to 325°.

Grease and flour a tube pan, 2 loaf pans OR 9 pint size (16 ounce) wide-mouth glass canning jars (after mixing batter together, follow the baking instructions above). If using a tube pan or loaf pans, use the baking instructions below.

Whisk together flour, soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.

Separate eggs, placing yolks in a small bowl and whites in a large mixing bowl.  Beat egg whites with an electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form and set aside.  Beat egg yolks with a fork and set aside.

Combine softened butter, sugar, 6 beaten egg yolks and mix well in a large mixing bowl with a mixer at medium speed.

Add sour cream and extracts to butter mixture and mix well.

Gradually add flour mixture to above mixture and beat for 4 – 5 minutes on medium speed.

With a rubber spatula, gently fold in beaten egg whites into the mixture.

Bake for 1 ½ hour is using a tube pan and 1 hour and 10 minutes if using loaf pans.

Use a bamboo skewer to test for doneness.

When done, remove from oven and cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 – 10 minutes before removing from pan and cooling on a wire rack completely before serving/slicing.